Poladpur Police Warned NHAI Of Ambenali Ghat Risks Ten Days Before Fatal Scorpio Accident That Killed 8

Navi Mumbai: Ten days before the fatal Ambenali Ghat accident in Poladpur that claimed eight lives, local police had written to the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation and the National Highways Authority of India seeking urgent safety measures on the accident-prone highway stretches passing through the region.

15 accidents, 11 deaths on highways since 2025

In the letter, the Poladpur Police Station stated that 15 small and major accidents had occurred on the Mumbai-Goa Highway and the Poladpur–Mahabaleshwar State Highway since 2025, leaving 11 people dead and 40 injured. Following an inspection of the accident-prone spots, police recommended a series of preventive measures to avoid further mishaps.

For the Ambenali Ghat stretch on the Poladpur–Mahabaleshwar highway, police sought installation of crash barriers and retaining walls at vulnerable valley-side locations near Payta, Bavli and Dabhil villages. The letter warned that the narrow road, deep valleys and sharp bends had led to several vehicles falling into the gorge in the past.

Warning signs, lane markings and landslide nets sought

Police also urged authorities to install curve indicators, steep ascent and descent warning signs, blinking lights and solid white lane markings to prevent risky overtaking on the ghat road. Considering the ongoing road widening work in the area, the letter noted that stretches of the road had been dug up on both sides and in the middle for culvert work, causing traffic obstructions and increasing accident risks. It also called for landslide protection nets and slope stabilisation measures at vulnerable hill sections during the monsoon.

On the Mumbai-Goa Highway stretch, police demanded installation of speed limit boards, dangerous curve signs, speed breaker indicators and reflective radium markers from Parle village to the Kashedi tunnel. Streetlights were sought between Loharmal and Poladpur town due to poor visibility at night.

Unauthorised divider cuts near hospitals and hotels must be closed

The letter further demanded immediate closure of unauthorised road divider cuts near the rural hospital at Poladpur, near Sayali Dhaba in Chole village and near Annapurna Hotel in Dhamandivi, stating that the openings were dangerous for motorists, especially on steep slopes and bends.

Police also recommended installation of rumble strips on downhill stretches, crash barriers near bridges, and iron barricading along the highway divider and roadside to prevent cattle from straying onto the road and causing accidents. The letter additionally pointed out that CCTV cameras installed at Balaji Hotel, Dhamandivi and Chole were non-functional and needed to be restored immediately.

API Rawade confirms hazardous locations flagged to authorities

“We had pointed out several hazardous locations on both highways and requested the concerned authorities to urgently implement safety measures, especially crash barriers and warning systems on the ghat section, to prevent fatal accidents,” said Anand Rawade, Assistant Police Inspector of Poladpur Police Station.

The communication was sent to NHAI and MSIDC authorities, with copies marked to the Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Mahad, and engineers of both agencies.

The Sunday night’s tragedy in which a Scorpio SUV carrying eight friends plunged into a deep gorge in Ambenali Ghat, took a massive rescue operation that continued for over 20 hours, to finally get all the bodies out.

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